Cyclic Mixture Mutagenesis \\ for DNA-Based Computing -- Schedule for Thesis Work<A NAME="2"> </A><A NAME="sec:schedule"> </A>

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Schedule for Thesis Work

It is currently May of 1995. I am working out-of-state this summer, but will return to research in the Fall. I also intend to do my area exam in the Fall, and expect that this will not take much time. I also still have the minor requirement (3 grad level courses in an area different from my own), however, I have already taken four extra grad-level classes, some of which may qualify; depending on approval, I may be able to take just 1 more class. Given that I am already well into the research involved in this thesis, I expect I will be able to complete the program in at most 2 more years, i.e.,by May of 1997. I personally am motivated to finish sooner, if possible, and will work to achieve that. Thus, I would like to set an initial goal of obtaining the degree in September of next year. A preliminary rough schedule to achieve this goal is as follows:

Summer 1995. Summer job. If publishable results obtained by group during absence, will assist in production of paper over the net during off hours.
Fall 1995. Area exam, 1 class for minor requirement, plus nearly full-time research, w. emphasis on lab work. Try to have at least one simple DNA machine working by end of Fall.
Spring 1995. Full-time research and then some. If one machine already working, try to get at least one more working by end of Spring. Also continue analytical work and library research on biological applications.
Summer 1995. Full-time research, first half of the summer, with emphasis on library work, collecting references, studying relationship of CMM to other technqiues. Second half of summer: prepare thesis document, using material from this proposal as an initial template. Perform defense at end of August.

Of course, this schedule is tentative and subject to revision, especially if the initial experimental results indicate that a change of goals for the thesis content is warranted (e.g.,if CMM simply doesn't work, then the thesis focus should change to analyzing why, or perhaps to attempting a different technique). Depending on circumstances, this schedule may need to stretch, by 1 or 2 terms, or at most 2 terms plus a summer (to finish by September 1997). I am highly motivated to ensure that the schedule does not fall any farther behind than that.

- Michael P. Frank, September 12, 1995. Formatted using HyperLaTeX-1.3.